Knife or dagger



May 27, 1947.

H. LEGER I 2,421,339

KN IFE OR DAGGER Filed Feb. 20 1945 Patented May 27, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KNIFE R DAGGER.

Henry Leger, New York, N. Y.

Application February 20, 1943, Serial No. 477,180

4 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to bladed instruments and more particularly to the construction and arrangement of the handle or grip of such instruments.

More specifically, the invention relates to the provision of a grip or handle which is arranged at an angle to the blade of the instrument whereby when the instrument is in use, the blade will present a substantially axial continuation of the forearm of the user while permitting the handle to be firmly grasped by the hand.

While the principles involved herein are particularly adaptable to thrust weapons such as daggers, stabbing knives, swords and the like, they may be applied also with advantageous results to edged tools such as carving and slicing knives to reduce the fatigue element on the user. Whenever the term knife is used in the following description, it must be construed as defining pointed instruments'formed either with or without a cutting edge.

It is well known that when the human wrist is in an unfiexed condition, or in other Words, when it is held in a natural position, it may be held more rigidly, and a greater gripping force may be exerted by the fingers. This is particularly important when using the knife as a stabbing instrument as it can be held more securely in the hand and a greater amount of thrust can be imparted to it. Additionally, the

fatigue element on the user is substantially reduced because the wrist flexor muscles of the forearm are not tensed.

It is therefore one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide a bladed instrument such as a knife or dagger with a grip which is arranged at an angle to the blade to permit the blade, when in use, to be a substantially axial continuation of the users forearm.

Another important object is to provide a blade of a knife with a grip angularly disposed to the axis of the blade as above set forth, such grip being shaped to form substantially an impression of the palm, thumb and fingers of the human hand naturally closed about the grip.

Still another object is to provide the blade of a knife with a shank which is bent downwardly at an obtuse angle to the blade to permit the blade to be presented in axial alignment with the users forearm.

A further object of the invention is to provide a handle or grip for the knife as above describedwhich is formed substantially to correspond to an impression made by the hand when grasping said grip, being enlarged at one of its ends to provide a guard and being somewhat flattened and extended laterally at its butt end to provide a substantial area to be contacted by the palm of the hand to inhibit rotation of the knife when grasped by the hand.

A still further object is to provide such a grip with a substantial hook adapted to be engaged by the users forefinger to facilitate drawing the knife toward the user.

Other objects and avantages will be apparent from the following description by reference to a preferred embodiment of my invention which is depicted in the drawings for the purpose of illustrating the principles involved.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevational view of a dagger having its grip angularly arranged to the blade in accordance with the conception of this invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom edge view of the knife illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an upper edge view of the knife illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the position of the knife with respect to the users hand and arm.

Referring now to the drawings, I have shown a knife having a blade I which may be tapered as shown in Figure l to a point 2 and also if desired, may be beveled longitudinally to form sharpened cutting edges 3 and l. Formed integrally with the blade I is a shank 5 by means of which a grip, designated generally as 6, may be attached to the knife.

The shank 5 is disposed at an angle to the axis of the blade as is shown in Figure 1. More specifically the shank 5 is bent downwardly, when the knife is in a position of normal use, and forms with the blade an obtuse angle which is such that when the knife is grasped by the user, as shown in Figure 4, the axis of the blade I will form a substantial continuation of the axis of the users forearm. I have found that to depress the shank 5 to an angle of approximately with the blade will provide the above axial alignment of the blade and the forearm with a knife of the type illustrated, but I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to such a specific angle because with different styles of blade, this angle will vary somewhat. The hand grip 6 may be attached to the shank 5 by any suitable means such as riveting indicated at l.

This hand grip, as stated above, is shaped to conform with the palm, thumb and fingers of the user. More specifically, the lower edge of the grip 6 is provided with a relatively deep groove 8 for engagement by the forefinger and shallower grooves 9 adapted to be engaged by the other fingers of the hand. These grooves 8 and 9 are extended over the side portions of the handle, as shown at I0, being directed upwardly over the sides of the grip, gradually decreasing in depth to merge with the surface of the grip. It is to be noted that a. substantial ridge II is formed be-.

tween the forefinger groove 8 and the next groove 9 to provide a projecting portion of the handle around which the forefinger may be hooked.

The forward end of the handle 6 is vertically enlarged'or extendedto form a. guard. l2. The rear surface of the guard I2 is formed with; a depression 13 which extends rearwardly over a portion of the upper surface of the grip, which depression is adapted to receive the users thumb, as shown in Figure 4. The butt end of the handle 6, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, is somewhat flattened in its horizontal plane and widened, as indlcated at I4 and [5, in its vertical plane. to provide a substantial flattened surface [6 adapted to be engaged by the palm of the hand to inhibit*rotation of the knife when in use.

In-use, the knife is grasped,.as shown'inFigure 4, by the hand with the' thumb lying along the upper surface of :the handlewithin the groove- I3," the ball of the thumb resting' agamstrthei guard 12. The fingers are curved around the lowerv surface of the handleresting in the grooves 8 and 9, the forefinger engaging thetprojectlngrid'ge' It. When in this position, the flattenedzand enlarged. butt end l rests againstthe heel'portion of the users palm and the blade of the knife presents substantially an axial continuation of the fore.-

arm of the'user when the hand is held'in a natural position, that is, the position in: which the wrist" is not bent. -When the knife is so grasped and the wrist and hand are in this position, a-maximum thrust can be imparted to the blade. Also when-the wrist is inthis natural position, the fingers are enabled to exert their maximum gripping-force; the wrist may-be held more rigidly and consequently the knife maybe used'without imparting undue strain on the wrist' bones, tendons and muscles- While I have illustrated a. knife which is used primarily for stabbing, itis to beunderstood that the blade I may be formedtofunction-as an edged tool such as a carving or slicing knife. When the knife is employedas sucha cutting instrument, the principle involvedinpositioning the handle at an angle to the blade is important inxthatit substantially reduces the fatigue element :of the user. When a straight handled knifezis securely grasped with. its blade parallel to the forearm,v thewrist mustbe flexed downwardly tensing the wrist flexor musclestoa degree which soon tires the user. In addition. whenthewristdsrso bent the fingers tend to loosen theirgrip on .thehandle and theattempt to overcome. this. imposes an added muscular strain; However with the gripafflxed to the blade in accordance'with this invention, these musclesare relaxed. and the'knife may be comfortably used. over long periods of:

time.

From the above, it will beseen that I have dee vised a. bladed instrument having a grip so. positioned with respect-to thesblade that the blade will present a substantiallyaxial continuation of the forearm of the user, thereby permitting the user tov exert a maximurnzof thrust to .the blade,

because the wrist can be held :at its mostlrigid condition. and. also will permitithe. instrument to be used with a. minimum offiatigue tothe user.-

While'I-have shown anddescribed only the preform of blade employed, thespecifio angularrela-v tion between. the blade and handle; andthe specific: comformation' of the: grip: itself, and other changes without departing from the spirit' of the.

invention orthe scope of the-appendediclaims;

I claim:

1. A bladed instrument comprising a blade, a straightshank forming anintegral continuation of the blade at an angle of substantially 160 thereto,

5 a hand grip secured axially to the shank, said hand grip shaped to form substantially an impression of the palm and fingers of a closed human hand, vertical extensions formed on the grip adjacent the blade to provide a guard, a thumb engaging depression formed in the surface of the grip and guard opposite the finger engaging grooves, and a substantially enlarged and flattened palm engaging extension on the butt end of the grip.

2. A bladed instrument comprising a substantially straight blade, said blade. having acutting edge a straight: shank integrally" formed with and downwardly bent from the blade and presenting an obtuse angle to said cutting edge,.a; g substantially straight grip attached to said shank, finger engaging, projections: on the lower suriaceof'the'grip andfathumb engaging projectionon th'e upper'surface of the. grip.

3. Aknife comprising a blade having a straight. 5 cutting edge, a straight shank formed integral with andtextendingas a continuation of'the blade from the hiltthereofat an angleiof approximately- 160 degrees With-respect to the longitudinal axis. of the blade, ahand grip for the shank, said grip 30- -having a shape similar to that'of a closed hand, an enlarge'dand. flattened palm: engaging portion formed on thebutt end of the grip, andia similarly widened and flattenedportion formed on the grip adjacent the blade substantially in align- -mentwith the major axis of the blade cross section and serving as a guard for the thumb and fore finger;

4. A knife comprising a blade having a straight cutting" edge, a straight shank. formed integral with andextending as a, continuation of'the blade from'the hilt thereof at an angle of approximately lfio degrees'with respect-to the longitudinal axis of the blade, a hand grip for theshank, saidgrip having a shape similar to that of a closed 1 -hand,= an enlarged and flattened palm engaging portion formed on the-buttend of. the grlpQand. a similarlywidened and flattenedportion formed on the grip adjacent the blade substantially in alignmentwith the major axis of the blade cross sectionand servingas a guardfor the-thumb andfor finger, theshape of the grip-including a-depression formed in one marginal edge of said grip adjacent the 'guard to receive the thumb'of the hand-and aroundedprojection formed 'on'the opposite marginal edge ofthe grip-to support the index finger of the hand.

HENRY LEGER'.

REEEEENCES' CITED Number. Name Date 2,124,615 Foltz July. 26, 1933 412.479 Davis Oct. 8 1889 155,773 l H6err Mar. 29,1904 1,188,511} Toth. .June 27,-1916' 1,855,311 Rasner- Apr. 26, 1932 1,052,316 Cihucki Feb. 4, 1913" 849,985 Diaper Apr. 9,1907 D. 19,522 Davis Dec.'24,,1880 

